IJA Officer's Mess Kit (Early Pattern)

[J7W22007]

Hi Guys,

Just got this IJA Officer's mess kit in very good condition.

All the components are present and matching.

It was Shouwa 18 (1943) made.

Manufactured stamped with a サ (Sa)

It took me a while to find a beautiful example like this.



















Thank you for viewing.
Taka

[GHP]

That's a very nice mess tin, Taka-san. What is the difference between officer and enlisted mess tins? In our army we all get the same type.

--Guy

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

Taka,

Nice officers mess kit congrats.

David.

[J7W22007]

Taka,

Nice officers mess kit congrats.

David.

Thank you David-san.

Now I have to look for the late pattern.

Cheers!
Taka

[Walter Schmidt]

Later pattern does not have the handle.
By the way, is it safe to eat from it? There is white aluminium stuff caked on the bottom, what could I do to make it useable?

[Jareth]

Excellent find Taka! Hard to find with that much paint remaining & with inner tray still present

[J7W22007]

That's a very nice mess tin, Taka-san. What is the difference between officer and enlisted mess tins? In our army we all get the same type.

--Guy

Hi Guy-san,

The difference of the IJA officer's and enlisted mes kits are as follow:

Enlisted

- Kidney shaped

- Steel Wire handle

- Extra metal slot for retaining strap

- Extra dish is included in the kit





Officer

(Early Pattern)

- Rectangular shaped

- Shorter than the enlisted kit

- Steel wire handle

- No metal slot

- Extra dish is included in the kit





(Late Pattern)

- Rectangular shaped

- No steel wire handle

- No metal slot

- Longer and thinner than the early pattern





For Comparison (Left: Officer Late Pattern. Right: Officer Early Pattern.)



Hope they help.

Regards,
Taka

[J7W22007]

Excellent find Taka! Hard to find with that much paint remaining & with inner tray still present

Thanks Jarth-san !

I've seen few examples in Japan, but all of them are in not so good conditions.

I decided to get this just because of the condition of the paint.

Also, I got this from China (surprisingly), and this will be bring/retun back to Japan.

Regards,
Taka

[GHP]

Hi Guy-san,

The difference of the IJA officer's and enlisted mes kits are as follow:

[redacted for length]

Hope they help.

Regards,
Taka

Thanks -- just the explanation I needed. Apparently the enlisted set is patterned after the German "kochgeschirr." Not surprising: the Japanese borrowed German terms for the sciences and camping. In Japanese, "tent" is zeruto (zelt); "rope" is zairu (seil); "sleeping bag" is shuraufu (schlauf[sack]) ... etc.

Modern Bundeswehr cook kit [same basic pattern as the 1887 that was size-reduced in 1910]


Cheers!
--Guy

EDIT: The Japanese Self-Defense Forces and civilian hikers still use the same pattern rice cooker:
Old and new

photo source

[J7W22007]

Thanks -- just the explanation I needed. Apparently the enlisted set is patterned after the German "kochgeschirr." Not surprising: the Japanese borrowed German terms for the sciences and camping. In Japanese, "tent" is zeruto (zelt); "rope" is zairu (seil); "sleeping bag" is shuraufu (schlauf[sack]) ... etc.

Modern Bundeswehr cook kit [same basic pattern as the 1887 that was size-reduced in 1910]


Cheers!
--Guy

EDIT: The Japanese Self-Defense Forces and civilian hikers still use the same pattern rice cooker:
Old and new

photo source

Thank you for the extra interesting info, Guy-san!

Cheers!
Taka

[GHP]

And the officer pattern (left) seems unchanged as well:





source

--Guy

[J7W22007]

And the officer pattern (left) seems unchanged as well:





source

--Guy

Can' t get in due to the ......you know Da Commie System !

Taka

[BRUNO FRANCK]

thats a great looking early officiers mess kit

i have here a late war with belt,, i think it is the same factory

greetings Bruno

[J7W22007]

Hi Bruno-san,

Wow, what a nice set you have!

First time to see such leather belt. Any markings?

I know what to search for next.

Thank you for posting.

Cheers!
Taka

[BRUNO FRANCK]

hoi Taka

there are no stamps visible,,,, it is in used condition,,
there is only a litle sac on the belt for the chopsticks

greetings bruno